As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the Inpatient Medicine/Surgery Senior Social Worker will provide a wide range of health services to patients. Provides complex physical, mental health, and psychosocial issues on the inpatient medical/surgical wards and/or clinic area. Will demonstrate advanced practice skills and experience in specialized areas such as medicine and/or mental health, geriatrics, and rehabilitation care. Experience working in a hospital setting is preferred.
Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education: Must have a master's degree in Social Work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school of social work is fully accredited. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure: Candidates must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Grade Determinations GS-12 Senior Social Worker: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Experience: At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.Full Performance Level: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12 Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking; standing; hearing (aid permitted). Preferred Experience: Experience working in a hospital setting is highly preferred
Major Duties: Assesses and treats the highly complex physical, mental illness and psychosocial issues of patients. Possesses knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, and substance abuse disorders. Identifies and screens patients for psychosocial needs, to include high risk screening. Ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy, .and conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments. Possesses the knowledge of assessment, treatment, discharge, and aftercare planning. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Ability to design changes based on empirical findings. Participates in planning, organizing, and coordinating social work services in the hospital, and preparing and implementing the referral selection process of veterans to VA programs. Offers consultation to colleagues on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. Work Schedule: Sunday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required